The Mankato free press., 1887-09-23
THE EVILS OF PATRONAGE.

In an article upon the desirabi;ity o.
reform in the present system in vogue
throughout the civil service of the coun.
try the Chicago Inter Ocean truly says
that Senators and Representatives fail oi
denomination far oftener by reason OF
the hostility OF those who are displeased
with their distribution of patronage than
because of their luke-warmness in sup
port of or opposition to the measures oil
the day. The evil works tenfold mis-
chief; it diverts the attention Of legisla-
tors from legislative duties to the distri-
button of places, and it diyerts the atten-
ton of nominating conventions from the
legislative ability Of candidate to his
ability as hustler for places. The high
ambition of a legislator should be to de-
vote himself TO the advocacy of measures
that may inure to the lasting benefit OF
the Republic; necessity too often urges
him to devotion of his time to reguIat-
ing the patronage of his district.
A great statesman should be great
scholar. Most great statesmen have
been great scholars. Here and there a
genius, such as Lincoln, springs spon-
taneously in the soil of politics, but such
cases are sporadic. The rule is that the
statesman is made, not born; he is guild
ed to knowledge of what should be by
knowledge of what has been. Garfield
was fine example of an educated states
man, and ex-President White has story
to tell of him, as well of Conkling:
Then consider President Garfield, a
man of most kindly disposition; consid-
er the pressure upon him for office.
remember that while in Berlin, in the
early part of 1880, l received letter
from him, which, in view of his after ca
reer, was most pathetic. had written
to him warmly congratulatIng him upon
his election as United States Senator from
Ohio In his reply, after thanking me
for nv letter, he asked me to get him
the most recent editions of the Latin
classics that bad been printed in Ger
member of the Upper House he would
have "leisure to read again the books
that had delighted him at school," Well,
there was no leisure for him after he
had once been elected.
1t humiliates one to think that Glad
stone has contributed valuable works to
theolgy, Grecisn history, and bellies
lettres while actively engaged in politics;
that Metternich and Talleyrand found
time amid the cares of state in very
stormy era to write huge memoirs; that
Disraeii formed a ministry and wrote a
novel with equal ease; that Derby devo-
ted half his official life to brilliant
struggle for protection, and half of it the
composition of the best translation of
Homer extant, while few of our states
men, since Hamilton's day, have found
time to write seriously and endurIngly.
But the statesmen of Europe, and our
own statesmen of earlier days, were new
er made purveyors general of small
places to hungry political proletariat.
Nor can it be said that this habit of
plaee-hunting and place-making is nee
essary to maintain the popular interest
in politics. Debased would the Nation
be, indeed, had it delegated the charge
of Its affairs to small place-hunters.
There seems to be really as much excite
ment over general election in England
or France or Germany as in the United
States, and yet it is only here that a
change of administration is followed by
a change in fourth-class postmasters.
Moreover, the Republican party never
got into power by promises of place. 1t
won by belief in and assertion of great
principles.